#15 Mocs Fall in First of Two Meetings with #2 Spartans

TAMPA, Fla. - The 15th-ranked Florida Southern College men's lacrosse team hit the road for the first time in 2025 as the Moccasins took on familiar foe second-ranked University of Tampa. The game was the first of two meetings between the two programs in 2025 as Tuesday night's meeting did not count as a Sunshine State Conference contest. The Spartans used an early lead to take a 12-7 victory over the Mocs.
 
The loss dropped Florida Southern's record to 0-3, with losses to the No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 ranked teams in the nation. The Spartans improved to 3-0.
 
In a battle of two of the top face off men in the country, junior Jacob Czyz was able to edge graduate transfer Michael Flores, who spent the last few seasons at Saint Leo University. Czyz won 12-of-20 (.600) face offs on the night including 11-of-18 (.611) versus Flores. Czyz once again led all players with eight ground balls as well. Freshman Carson Corona also had a strong ground ball effort with five on the night to go along with two caused turnovers.
 
Senior Mason McQuiggin led the defensive effort with three caused turnovers while Corona and sophomore Charlie Fisher each added two. Graduate student Michael Simone put up another double-digit save performance with 11 while playing the full 60 minutes. He now has 40 saves through three games.
 
Offensively, sophomore Maddux Walton led the way with two goals while junior Nolan Tighe added a goal and an assist. Four others added goals and none better than sophomore Grant Ansted's diving effort in the second quarter. Ansted launched himself across the crease to beat the Tampa keeper to the far side which also cut the Moccasin deficit to just two goals.
 
The Spartans opened the scoring just over three minutes into the contest but the Mocs answered three minutes later as senior Brydon Robichaud found the mark. Just over a minute later the Spartans put up back-to-back goals just 33 seconds apart. Sophomore Vinnie Muscella stopped the run off an assist from Tighe. The Spartans were not deterred as they scored four-straight from the 1:14 mark of the first to the 11:12 mark of the second.
 
Trailing 7-2, the Mocs began a comeback effort sparked by Walton's first goal of the contest with 8:03 left in the half. Junior Jack Epley scored 41 seconds later to cut the deficit to 7-4 with 7:22 left. FSC was unable to get its offense clicking over the next several minutes until Ansted made his diving effort with 1:50 left in the period to cut the lead to just two heading into the break.
 
Tampa picked up a 4-0 third quarter, despite the Mocs putting five shots on goal. Tighe finally broke through 30 seconds into the fourth as he finished off an assist from McQuiggin. The final goal for the Mocs came three minutes later as Walton found the back of the net. Tampa answered Walton's goal just under a minute later for the final score of the contest. Neither team found the mark over the final 10 minutes of action.
 
Florida Southern will be back in action Friday, Feb. 21 for the first game under the lights at Berend Field as the Mocs welcome in Flagler College for a 7 p.m. match-up.
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